2025-2026 Tigers Off Season Thread

[Sports_Freak]

2 minutes ago, chasfh said:

That's true to the degree you have to go outside to make it happen. Some lucky teams have a bunch of great young cost-controlled All-Star level players coming up through the system all at the same time. That might be us in a couple or three years!

I love the enthusiasm fans have for "can't miss" prospects. So many prospects never make it or just struggle so much that they're sent back to the farm to season a bit more. I hope this batch of Tiger prospects comes north and kicks ass but until they do it, I wont get too excited about them. Just....don't rush them...

[chasfh]

1 hour ago, Tiger337 said:

Let's wait and see what happens when we start throwing him curves.  

It looks like he's got a pretty good eye, though.

[chasfh]

2 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

I love the enthusiasm fans have for "can't miss" prospects. So many prospects never make it or just struggle so much that they're sent back to the farm to season a bit more. I hope this batch of Tiger prospects comes north and kicks ass but until they do it, I wont get too excited about them. Just....don't rush them...

[chasfh]

3 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

I love the enthusiasm fans have for "can't miss" prospects. So many prospects never make it or just struggle so much that they're sent back to the farm to season a bit more. I hope this batch of Tiger prospects comes north and kicks ass but until they do it, I wont get too excited about them. Just....don't rush them...

I love when people interpret "might" as being the same as "absolutely, unequivocally, definitely 100% will". 😉 

[Tiger337]

16 minutes ago, chasfh said:

It looks like he's got a pretty good eye, though.

One concern I have is that he may have already peaked.  Given his nickname (Stormin Norman Cash?), I suspect he's old for a rookie.  

[Tiger337]

34 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

I love the enthusiasm fans have for "can't miss" prospects. So many prospects never make it or just struggle so much that they're sent back to the farm to season a bit more. I hope this batch of Tiger prospects comes north and kicks ass but until they do it, I wont get too excited about them. Just....don't rush them...

I think McGonigle will make the team if he hits in the Spring.  How good will he be?  Nobody knows, but he is the most highly regarded prospect the Tigers have had in decades.  

Edited December 27, 2025 by Tiger337

[Edman85]

44 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

I love the enthusiasm fans have for "can't miss" prospects. So many prospects never make it or just struggle so much that they're sent back to the farm to season a bit more. I hope this batch of Tiger prospects comes north and kicks ass but until they do it, I wont get too excited about them. Just....don't rush them...

Not all prospects are the same.

[Edman85]

In the BA Era, the only Tigers position prospects ranked in the Preseason Top 10 are...

• 2007 Cameron Maybin (6)
• 2021 Spencer Torkelson (5)
• 2022 Riley Greene (4)
• 2022 Spencer Torkelson (5)

By all indications, McGonigle will be 2, and the talk is that he and Konnor Griffin are a different brand of a elite than most 1-2 combos.

Every prospect is different. Every prospect reacts differently to failure. Saying that the Tigers shouldn't promote McGonigle because Scott Sizemore flopped shows a lack of understanding of the difference in their pedigrees. And some fan on their couch isn't going to know the ins and outs about whether failure would positively or negatively affect McGonigle more than the Tigers' staff or McGonigle himself. The Prospect Promotion Incentive Draft Pick rules give a big incentive to the Tigers to put him on the opening day roster if he is ready.

[SoCalTiger]

San Diego - March 26 2026 

1. Torres 2B

2. McGonigle SS

3. Greene LF

4. Carpenter DH

5 Tork 1B

6. Keith 3B

7. Dingler C

8. Perez RF

9. Meadows CF

Skubal P

[IdahoBert]

55 minutes ago, SoCalTiger said:

San Diego - March 26 2026 

1. Torres 2B

2. McGonigle SS

3. Greene LF

4. Carpenter DH

5 Tork 1B

6. Keith 3B

7. Dingler C

8. Perez RF

9. Meadows CF

Skubal P

If McGonagle is the shortstop, what do we do with Baez? I’m tired of expecting Mr. Glass Meadows to repeat what he did in 2024. I’d rather see Baez in center because he seemed to hit better playing that position. I’m not sure how much worse a fielder he is than Mr. Glass but I’m not expecting his hitting to rebound. And I really enjoyed not disliking Javy last year. 

[Shinzaki]

In the playdowns last fall Baez seemed like our most dangerous hitter

[1984Echoes]

1 hour ago, SoCalTiger said:

San Diego - March 26 2026 

1. Torres 2B

2. McGonigle SS

3. Greene LF

4. Carpenter DH

5 Tork 1B

6. Keith 3B

7. Dingler C

8. Perez RF

9. Meadows CF

Skubal P

BINGO!

I love this early call out on the OD lineup...!!!

[Sports_Freak]

3 hours ago, Edman85 said:

Not all prospects are the same.

Exactly. Its been said the really good ones get to the majors quickly. Like JV or Granderson. The Tigers appear to have a few knocking on the door again, it would be great if they make it up here this season. But fans need to trust Harris and his team of player development. 

[1984Echoes]

24 minutes ago, IdahoBert said:

If McGonagle is the shortstop, what do we do with Baez? I’m tired of expecting Mr. Glass Meadows to repeat what he did in 2024. I’d rather see Baez in center because he seemed to hit better playing that position. I’m not sure how much worse a fielder he is than Mr. Glass but I’m not expecting his hitting to rebound. And I really enjoyed not disliking Javy last year. 

If Meadow is NOT injured on opening day...

I would see him starting there in CF...

And Baez used wherever Hinch sees fit... SS or CF pinch-hitting and taking over when a lefty gets on the mound.

 

If Meadow IS injured on opening day...

Well, that's an easy call... start Baez in CF.

[SeattleMike]

14 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

Exactly. Its been said the really good ones get to the majors quickly. Like JV or Granderson. The Tigers appear to have a few knocking on the door again, it would be great if they make it up here this season. But fans need to trust Harris and his team of player development. 

Granderson was a bit old for a prospect. Cup of coffee at 23, 47 games at 24, first full season at 25. Compare that to Greene, who just turned 25 or Keith, who is 24. 

[gehringer_2]

3 hours ago, Edman85 said:

In the BA Era, the only Tigers position prospects ranked in the Preseason Top 10 are...

• 2007 Cameron Maybin (6)
• 2021 Spencer Torkelson (5)
• 2022 Riley Greene (4)
• 2022 Spencer Torkelson (5)

By all indications, McGonigle will be 2, and the talk is that he and Konnor Griffin are a different brand of a elite than most 1-2 combos.

Every prospect is different. Every prospect reacts differently to failure. Saying that the Tigers shouldn't promote McGonigle because Scott Sizemore flopped shows a lack of understanding of the difference in their pedigrees. And some fan on their couch isn't going to know the ins and outs about whether failure would positively or negatively affect McGonigle more than the Tigers' staff or McGonigle himself. The Prospect Promotion Incentive Draft Pick rules give a big incentive to the Tigers to put him on the opening day roster if he is ready.

and Maybin was a pretty good ballplayer - he just couldn't stay on the field, but when he was healthy - which was rare,  he was productive.

Edited December 27, 2025 by gehringer_2

[SoCalTiger]

2 hours ago, 1984Echoes said:

BINGO!

I love this early call out on the OD lineup...!!!

Thank you sir. 

[Tiger337]

The most ballyhooed Tigers prospect I can remember from the old days was Kirk Gibson. 

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/1978-draft-spotlight-kirk-gibson/#:~:text=Gibson drew attention from scouts,“was his raw speed.”

 

 

Quote

Gibson drew attention from scouts on Michigan State’s spring trip to Texas, and the Major League Scouting Bureau graded both his speed and power at 80 on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. Bill Lajoie, the Tigers’ director of player procurement, did a double-take when he saw that report. He had scouted Gibson in high school and recalled a player badly in need of playing experience. “His only redeeming quality,” Lajoie remembered, “was his raw speed.”.  

This was long before Sparky Andrerson called him the next Mickey Mantle.  

Edited December 28, 2025 by Tiger337

[SoCalTiger]

2 hours ago, IdahoBert said:

If McGonagle is the shortstop, what do we do with Baez? I’m tired of expecting Mr. Glass Meadows to repeat what he did in 2024. I’d rather see Baez in center because he seemed to hit better playing that position. I’m not sure how much worse a fielder he is than Mr. Glass but I’m not expecting his hitting to rebound. And I really enjoyed not disliking Javy last year. 

El Mago will play everywhere and could platoon with Meadows in center. 

[gehringer_2]

9 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

The most bally hooed Tigers prospect I can remember from the old days was Kirk Gibson. 

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/1978-draft-spotlight-kirk-gibson/#:~:text=Gibson drew attention from scouts,“was his raw speed.”

 

 

This was long before Sparky Andrerson called him the next Mickey Mantle.  

yeah - the only guy I can think of who could ever fairly have been called the 'next Mantle' would have been Mike Trout and even with the reasonable skill and athletic match,  MT can't switch hit.

Edited December 28, 2025 by gehringer_2

[Sports_Freak]

1 hour ago, SeattleMike said:

Granderson was a bit old for a prospect. Cup of coffee at 23, 47 games at 24, first full season at 25. Compare that to Greene, who just turned 25 or Keith, who is 24. 

True. But he was drafted in 2002 and made it up here in 2004. The good ones make it quick.

[TigerNation]

5 hours ago, Edman85 said:

In the BA Era, the only Tigers position prospects ranked in the Preseason Top 10 are...

• 2007 Cameron Maybin (6)
• 2021 Spencer Torkelson (5)
• 2022 Riley Greene (4)
• 2022 Spencer Torkelson (5)

By all indications, McGonigle will be 2, and the talk is that he and Konnor Griffin are a different brand of a elite than most 1-2 combos.

Every prospect is different. Every prospect reacts differently to failure. Saying that the Tigers shouldn't promote McGonigle because Scott Sizemore flopped shows a lack of understanding of the difference in their pedigrees. And some fan on their couch isn't going to know the ins and outs about whether failure would positively or negatively affect McGonigle more than the Tigers' staff or McGonigle himself. The Prospect Promotion Incentive Draft Pick rules give a big incentive to the Tigers to put him on the opening day roster if he is ready.

And another thing with McGonigle, he has physical limitations that limit his ceiling. For him to still be a consensus top 2 prospect, so much of that is because he is as safe of a bet as a prospect can be, he just has such a high floor.

[IdahoBert]

5 minutes ago, TigerNation said:

And another thing with McGonigle, he has physical limitations that limit his ceiling. For him to still be a consensus top 2 prospect, so much of that is because he is as safe of a bet as a prospect can be, he just has such a high floor.

What are his physical limitations?

[gehringer_2]

3 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

True. But he was drafted in 2002 and made it up here in 2004. The good ones make it quick.

Curtis had stayed in school for 3yrs, which would be unusual for today's top prospects,  who often come out in a year or two.

[4hzglory]

8 minutes ago, TigerNation said:

And another thing with McGonigle, he has physical limitations that limit his ceiling. For him to still be a consensus top 2 prospect, so much of that is because he is as safe of a bet as a prospect can be, he just has such a high floor.

He’s ranked the best overall hitting prospect since Vlad by BA with no weaknesses in any aspect of his hitting, including power.